Gareth Barry will make his 600th Premier League appearance when he turns out for Everton against Middlesbrough.

Ahead of this landmark occasion, the veteran midfielder has been tackling several topics with as much relish as he does with opponents on the field.

Barry on.....

England

"The lows would probably be to do with England.

"We had just won the league with City and I was really high on confidence going into the Euros when I picked up an injury which meant I couldn't go.

"I picked up an injury before the 2010 World Cup but I still went and played, although the timing of that injury wasn't ideal. In terms of club football, touch wood that has been good for me. I've been able to steer clear of major injuries."

“I'm not worried about it if I'm honest, I still feel I could play and do a job in that position at that level, I would back myself to play that position as well as anyone who's English; being left out of the squad it really hurts, but you get into a routine and get the benefits from that rather than England. These are things you can't control, so you can't worry about them."

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Giving advice to Ross Barkley after Sunderland

"I’ve been in that position myself, I’ve had the same experience. It is really tough to take.

"It dents your confidence a bit but Ross isn’t showing that. He was fantastic in training this morning. But it will dent you.

"You do feel like the world is against you. He just has to keep doing the right things and you only need one moment to turn your career around, a goal; a fantastic performance. As a young player, it is hard but he just has to keep doing the right things. It will turn around.

"At Villa, I had a few weeks – maybe two months – out of the team. It was one of the seasons I only played about 20 PL games. It coincided with being left out of the England squad. John Gregory was the manager, it was just before he left."

Playing until he's 40

"I certainly feel as good as I did when I was 30.

"I’m 35 now and I don’t feel any different. In terms of training, playing games. One thing that has changed is the fact that I don’t think I can play three games in a week, with the recovery. I think of the Europa League two years ago and I think three games in a week caught up with me.

"Young players recover much faster. But if I get the recovery time in, I can keep the levels. I feel really good. I don’t want to say I can play for another five years but I don’t see any reason why not."

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His most memorable martch....and winning a trophy with Everton

“It has to be winning the League with City 3-2. Football is about winning trophies, and to do it like that was incredible.

"I played a lot of games for Villa, and one of my regrets is not winning a trophy there – that still hurts, and that's why the big games are important. It's why one of the things I want to do is win a trophy with Everton before I hang my boots up."

The win at Sunderland

"It has been really fun because we have been winning games.

"But speaking to the lads at half-time Sunderland, we went in frustrated that some of our play could not be better. It was just amazing how two halves can be different. We were so frustrated but at the end we were thinking we can really achieve something if we play like that.

"The second half was one of the most enjoyable halves I have been involved in for a long time."